Welcome to the end of 2017! I hope 2018 is even better! Also, please watch me on Wheel of Fortune on January 2.

STAR OF THE MONTH: CHARLES BOYER (THURSDAYS IN JANUARY)

The inspiration for Pepe-le-Pew has his first ever SOTM tribute with 25 films, one of which will be a TCM premiere, 1934’s Liliom. I still can’t believe Boyer hasn’t been SOTM before!

Mariah’s Picks

Love Affair (1939-January 4 @ 8pm/7pm c)

The story that’s been told three different times, twice by the same director. Two people engaged to others meet on an ocean liner and fall in love. When the ship docks, the two decide to wait six months to see if their love is real.

Algiers (1938-January 5 @ 4:45am/3:45am c)

Boyer and Hedy Lamarr have a tragic love affair.

Gaslight (1944-January 11 @ 8pm/7pm c)

Boyer is trying to drive wife Ingrid Bergman crazy, but why?

Hold Back the Dawn (1941-January 11 @ 10:15pm/9:15pm c)

Boyer is Romanian gigolo stuck at the Mexico/U.S. border having to wait 8 years to gain entry to America, so he seduces American teacher Olivia de Havilland for a green card.

Fanny (1961-January 25 @ 8pm/7pm c)

Boyer is a bar owner who helps a young woman who is pregnant by his sailor son.

TCM SPOTLIGHT: SURVIVAL MOVIES (FRIDAYS IN JANUARY)

TCM presents 20 films which feature people of different backgrounds having to trust and rely on each other in order to live through life-threatening situations including plane crashes, dangerous expeditions, shipwrecks, and even a ship turning upside down! This includes four TCM premieres: 1953’s Inferno, 1971’s Man in the Wilderness, 2007’s Into the Wild, and 1969’s The Other Side of the Mountain.

Mariah’s Picks

Deliverance (1972-January 5 @ 10pm/9pm c)

Four buddies really regret going white water river rafting.

The Most Dangerous Game (1932-January 6 @ midnight/January 5 @ 11pm)

Fay Wray and Joel McCrea are hunted by a man looking for a thrill.

The Poseidon Adventure (1972-January 19 @ 10:45pm/9:45pm c)

Passengers fight to survive to climb to the top of an upside-down ship. Not a Happy New Year for them.

Five Came Back (1939-January 20 @ midnight/January 19 @ 11pm c)

Look for Lucille Ball in an early role as a woman of questionable virtue whose plane crashes in the Amazon jungle. The 1956 remake airs right after and is directed by the same person, John Farrow.

STARRING W.C. FIELDS (JANUARY 2)

The legendary comedian has 5 movies and 2 shorts on the second day of the new year. The night kicks off with the rarely seen 1932 film Million Dollar Legs, followed by two of Field’s best films, 1934’s It’s a Gift and 1940’s The Bank Dick (written by Fields under the pseudonym, get this, Mahatma Kane Jeeves!). Next is the surreal Never Give a Sucker an Even Break, followed by two shorts, The Dentist and The Fatal Glass of Beer, and finally ends with his critically-acclaimed role as Micawber in the 1935 film version of David Copperfield.

HOLLYWOOD FOREIGN PRESS (JANUARY 3)

Did you know that the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, who is mostly known for its annual Golden Globe Awards, also works on restoring classic films for future generations? Journalist and film producer Silvia Bizio joins host Ben Mankiewicz to present four films restored by the HFPA. First up is the anti-war message film The Boy with Green Hair (1948), followed by the “spaghetti Western” A Fistful of Dollars (1964), then iconic director Satyajit Ray’s debut film Pather Panchali (1955), and ending with David Lynch’s major mind-screw Eraserhead (1977).

STARRING GLORIA GRAHAME (JANUARY 7)

Actress Annette Bening, who stars as actress Gloria Grahame in the new film Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool joins Noir Alley host Eddie Muller for a double feature of Gloria Grahame’s best-known and loved films. The night starts with In a Lonely Place (1950) and then her Oscar-winning role in 1952’s The Bad and the Beautiful.

AFRICAN-AMERICAN FILMMAKERS (JANUARY 15)

TCM presents an evening of films directed by African-Americans. Here’s the lineup:

A Warm December (Sidney Poitier) 8pm/7pm c

Daughters of the Dust (Julie Dash) 10pm/9pm c-added to the National Film Registry in 2004.

Note: Only one of these movies will air on TCM. TCM will also air its original documentary TCM Night at the Movies: Merry Christmas featuring a look of some of the most iconic Christmas movies of all time. Interviewees include Karolyn Grimes, who played Zuzu in It’s a Wonderful Life and Margaret O’Brien.

Mariah’s Picks

Never Say Goodbye (1946-December 2 @ 4:15am/3:15am c)

Watch Errol Flynn in a modern-day comedy as a father who teams up with his little girl to try to reunite with his ex-wife.

A Christmas Carol (1951-December 8 @ 8pm/7pm c)

One of my mom’s favorite Christmas movies.

Holiday Affair (1949-December 15 @ 10pm/9pm c)

Robert Mitchum in a rare comedy role. He becomes part of a love triangle with Janet Leigh at the center.

It Happened on Fifth Avenue (1947-December 15 @ 11:45pm/10:45pm c)

An eclectic group of people gather at a rich man’s house while he is south for the winter. This time though, the rich man finds out and disguises himself so he can stay at his own house!

The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942-December 16 @ 2am/1am c)

What happens when the world’s worst houseguest breaks his leg on your property and he has to stay with you while he recuperates? All Hell breaks loose.

Christmas in Connecticut (1945-December 22 @ 8pm/7pm c)

Barbara Stanwyck is a columnist who is touted as “the greatest cook in the country” and seems to have it all-a home in the country, a husband, and an infant. Turns out, it’s all a big lie. Stanwyck and her editor have cooked up the entire backstory and are able to get away with it until the publisher decides to have her and her husband host a WWII hero as a publicity stunt and he will join them as well for Christmas. Stanwyck has to think fast to save her job.

Little Women (1933-December 24 @ 6am/5am c)

As Katharine Hepurn later said, “no role fit me better than Jo March.”

The Bishop’s Wife (1947-December 24 @ 8pm/7pm c)

The movie from the first image that will be shown on TCM.

Star of the Month: Lana Turner (Tuesdays in December)

TCM Backlot members chose the MGM glamour queen as the last Star of the Month of 2017. TCM presents 44 films spanning from Turner’s early years to the very end of her career.

Mariah’s Picks

They Won’t Forget (1937-December 5 @ 8pm/7pm c)

It all started with a tight sweater and a walk.

Ziegfeld Girl (1941-December 6 @ 2:45am/1:45am c)

Turner’s dramatic breakthrough.

The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946-December 12 @ 8pm/7pm c)

I watched this two summers ago at a movie palace with a packed audience. When Turner entered, I heard a guy say “WHOAH.”

The Three Musketeers (1948-December 12 @ 10:15pm/9:15pm c)

Lana’s first time in color. She is also the villian.

Peyton Place (1957-December 19 @ 8pm/7pm c)

Turner’s only Oscar nomination.

Imitation of Life(1959-December 19 @ 11pm/10pm c)

Lana’s most popular movie.

The Bad and the Beautiful (1952-December 20 @ 1:15am/12:15am c)

Lana is an actress who is screwed over by producer Kirk Douglas.

TCM Spotlight: The Great American Songbook (Thursdays in December)

The Ambassador of The Great American Songbook, Michael Feinstein, hosts December’s Spotlight on some of the greatest songs ever written. Such highlights include: “The Way You Look Tonight” featured in the Astaire Rogers musical Swing Time (1936-December 21 @ 8pm/7pm c).

Produced by Alan Ladd, Jr. (December 6)

The producer who greenlit Star Wars is honored with a 2016 documentary It’s Always About the Story: Conversations with Alan Ladd, Jr. and two films: 1981’s Chariots of Fire and 1983’s The Right Stuff.

Leonard Maltin returns to host another installment in TCM’s continuing series. All 7 movies and shorts are TCM premieres. They are the 1938 Mickey Mouse short The Brave Little Tailor followed by 1952’s Robin Hood and His Merry Men, 1960’s The Sign of Zorro. Then comes 1957’s Tricks of the Trade, an episode from the Disneyland TV series, and capping off the night, 1977’s Pete’s Dragon and 1986’s Fuzzbucket.

In Memoriam (December 29)

TCM remembers the stars we lost in 2017 with a night of some of their most notable films.

Jules et Jim (Jeanne Moreau)

Died on July 31st at the age of 89.

Apollo 13(Bill Paxton)

Died unexpectedly of a stroke after heart surgery on February 25th.

Thoroughly Modern Millie (Mary Tyler Moore)

Died January 25th less than a month after her 80th birthday.

Night of the Living Dead (George A. Romero)

Died on July 16 at age 77.

Kelly’s Heroes (Don Rickles)

Died on April 6th at the age of 90.

The Thin Man New Year’s Eve Marathon (December 31 through January 1)

Spend the last evening of 2017 drinking martinis and trying to solve the mystery before Nick and Nora Charles do.

TCM celebrates the 5-time Oscar-nominated actor with 57 films airing all day Wednesday this month. One of my favorites.

Mariah’s Picks

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (November 1 @ 9:45pm/8:45pm c)

Besides George Bailey, Jefferson Smith is Jim’s other iconic role.

Destry Rides Again(November 2 @ 12:15am/November 1 @ 11:15pm)

Jimmy is the new sheriff in town who doesn’t like guns and drinks milk.

After the Thin Man(November 2 @ 2am/1am c)

Jimmy’s first significant role is this sequel to The Thin Man.

Vivacious Lady (November 2 @ 4am/3am c)

Jimmy marries Ginger Rogers (who he dated in real life) after a whirlwind courtship. Pity he forgot to tell his fiancee back home!

The Shop Around the Corner (November 8 @ 8pm/7pm c)

This film is airs frequently during the holidays. Jimmy and Margaret Sullivan are bickering co-workers at a department store who are pen pals who don’t know each other.

The Mortal Storm (November 8 @ 10pm/9pm c)

Jim who is a pacifist and Margaret Sullivan who is half-Jewish, watch as their friends and family succumb to Nazi hysteria.

The Philadelphia Story(November 9 @ midnight/November 8 @ 11pm c)

The movie Jimmy won the Best Actor Oscar for. People now think it was a consolation prize for not winning the previous year. Jimmy voted for best bud Henry Fonda-who didn’t receive another Best Actor nomination for 40 years!

Vertigo(November 15 @ 8pm/7pm c)

Sights & Sound named this movie the greatest film of all time in 2012, knocking off Citizen Kane after 50 years!

Anatomy of a Murder (November 15 @10:30pm/9:30pm c)

Jimmy received the last of his five Oscar nominations for his portrayal of a small-town lawyer who is defending a soldier who killed the man who raped his wife.

Harvey (November 22 @ 10:15pm/9:15pm c)

Jimmy is the adorable Elwood P. Dowd who’s best friend is a seven-foot invisible rabbit named Harvey.

This movie is historical in a business sense. Universal couldn’t afford to pay Jimmy’s usual salary so his agent struck a deal where Jimmy would work for scale and ten percent of the film’s profits. Jimmy made over half a million dollars on this one film.

The Naked Spur (November 30 @ 1:30am/12:30am c)

Jimmy is a bitter bounty hunter looking to turn in outlaw Robert Ryan.

Noir Alley (Sunday Mornings at 10am/9am c)

Welcome to Noirvember, everybody! Noir Alley just introduced a new VR experience (note: you don’t have to have VR) Noir Alley 360° . A new episode will debut every Sunday.

Split Second (November 5)

A killer hides in a ghost town that is a nuclear test site.

The Window (1949-November 12)

Young Tommy has told too many tall tales, so when he witnesses his neighbors commit a murder, no one believes him. Bobby Driscoll won a special juvenile Oscar for his performance.

Night and the City(November 19)

An American hustler living in London gets involved in the dark world of wrestling.

Strangers on a Train(November 26)

A man makes the mistake of striking up a conversation with a stranger.

On the eve of the 70th anniversary that changed Hollywood forever, TCM presents every Monday and Tuesday evening films focusing on individuals who were affected by the Hollywood Blacklist, some of whom who careers were completely destroyed and a few who died because of the all the drama and heartache. The programming is divided into five categories: Before the Blacklist (The Hollywood Ten); Before the Blacklist (Other blacklisted writers & directors); Before the Blacklist (Actors); During the Blacklist (Working abroad & pseudonyms); and After the Blacklist (Comebacks). It all starts November 6 with a 1976 documentary called Hollywood on Trial narrated by John Huston.

This wholesome family drama was the last script by Trumbo before he was blacklisted and started using pseudonyms in order to keep working. Star Edward G. Robinson, who enjoyed the change of pace from his crime films, was later “graylisted” which while he was not blacklisted from working in Hollywood, his output in the first half of the 1950s was B-film work.

Crossfire(Adrian Scott & Edward Dmytryk) (November 7 @ 2am/1am c)

This was the first B-movie to receive a Best Picture nomination. Actor Robert Ryan also received a nomination for Best Supporting Actor (his only one!).

This was Garfield’s last film. He died of a heart attack on May 21, 1952, partially due to the immense stress of being blacklisted. Lloyd was more fortunate thanks to Alfred Hitchcock, who employed him on TV series, Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Lloyd will be 103 on Wednesday, November 8.

Scarface (Karen Morley) (November 15 @midnight/November 14 @ 11pm c)

Before Pacino, there was Muni. He was just as sadistic.

A Streetcar Named Desire (Kim Hunter) (November 15 @ 3:45am/2:45am c)

Hunter won Best Supporting Actress.

Gun Crazy(Morris Carnovsky) (November 15 @ 8:15am/7:15am c)

A couple goes on a bank-robbing spree.

Rififi(Jules Dassin) (November 21 @ 2am/1am c)

Dassing moved to Europe to continue making movies. This is the first one he was able to make.

A British colonel and his men build a bridge while they are imprisoned by the Japanese during WWII. Wilson and Foreman wrote the screenplay in secret and didn’t receive credit until 1985 after both were deceased.

Exodus (Dalton Trumbo) (November 27 @ 8pm/7pm c)

With this film and Spartacus, Trumbo was able to take back his name.

The Front (Zero Mostel & Martin Ritt) (November 28 @ 8pm/7pm c)

Woody Allen plays a clerk who becomes a “front” for blacklisted writers. Mostel co-stars as an actor who struggles under the pressure from HUAC.

Veterans Day (November 11 & 12)

TCM salutes the brave men and women who have served our country. Host Ben Mankiewicz will speak with eight veterans who chose a film that has meant something to them.

Mariah’s Picks

The Best Years of Our Lives (November 11 @ 5pm/4pm c)

Three servicemen at different stages in their lives share a flight back home and become intertwined in each other’s dramas. The Best Picture winner of 1946.

Have you bought the new Batman in Noir Alleycomic book? Well, you can get it for free at your local comic book store. Later this month, TCM will launch Noir Alley: 360° of Noir, a virtual experience allowing fans to solve crimes in the film noir world.

Possessed (1947-October 1 @ 10am/9am c)

Joan Crawford is a woman who marries her employer Raymond Massey, but is still hung up on ex Van Heflin.

They Won’t Believe Me (1947-October 8 @ 10am/9am c)

Robert Young plays against type as a gold-digging stockbroker juggling his heiress wife and two girlfriends.

The “October on TCM” post was getting a little too long so the Trailblazing Women festival is now its own segment.

TCM enters its final year of the three-year partnership with Women in Film. This year’s theme features women behind the scenes starting October 2 with screenwriters in the Silent Film & the Early Talkie Era. This group includes:

Bess Meredyth

Credits include the 1925 version of Ben-Hur (which will be shown on TCM), Don Juan, and her Oscar-nominated script A Woman of Affairs.

Dorothy Parker

The only female member of the famed Algonquin Hotel Round Table is credited for 16 screenplays including the 1937 version of A Star is Born (which will be shown on TCM), The Little Foxes, and Sabetour.

Anita Loos

The quadruple-threat of journalist, novelist, playwright, and screenwriter, Loos earned a reputation as a writer of cynical dialogue. Loos is best known for her 1925 novel Gentlemen Prefer Blondes which was adapted into 1953 musical starring Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell. Her screenwriting credits include The Women (which will be shown on TCM), San Francisco, Red Headed Woman, and Another Thin Man.

Frances Marion

The journalist (one of the first female war correspondents) turned screenwriter wrote around 150 scripts from 1915 to 1939. She wrote star vehicles for silent stars Mary Pickford and Marion Davies. She was also an expert in adapting literary materials to the big screen. She wrote silent film adaptations of Pollyanna and Anne of Green Gables, won an Oscar for the 1930 film The Big House, and the 1936 film version of Camille (which will be shown on TCM).

Jeanie MacPherson

MacPherson was mostly a contract writer for pioneering director Cecil B. DeMille. Her scripts include Dynamite (which will be shown on TCM), The King of Kings, and Madame Satan.

On October 9, screenwriters from the Classic Studio Era will be featured. This group includes:

Leigh Brackett

Director Howard Hawks read a 1944 detective novel called No Good from a Corpse and thought this guy Leigh Brackett could write an adaptation of Raymond Chandler’s novel The Big Sleep (which will be shown on TCM). He was shocked that this guy Brackett was this girl Brackett. Hawks used Brackett to write for five more of his movies including Rio Bravo and Hatari! She also wrote the screenplay for a little-known movie called The Empire Strikes Back.

Ruth Gordon

An actress, playwright, and screenwriter, Gordon wrote several screenplays with her husband and collaborator, Garson Kanin. Her films include Adam’s Rib (which will be shown on TCM), Pat and Mike, and The Marrying Kind. She is best known for her acting roles in Rosemary’s Baby (where she won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar) and Harold and Maude-she’s Maude.

Betty Comden

She and collaborator Adolph Green (no, they were not married like other male-female screenwriting collaborators) wrote some of the greatest musicals ever made. Their films include Singin’ in the Rain (which will be shown on TCM), Auntie Mame, On the Town, and The Band Wagon.

Jay Presson Allen

Allen wrote several memorable scripts including Cabaret (which will be shown on TCM), The Prince of the City, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, and Marnie.

Lenore Coffee

The screenwriter is credited for 72 scripts ranging from 1919 to 1960. Her films include The Great Lie (which will be shown on TCM), Sudden Fear, Four Daughters, and Beyond the Forest.

On October 16, the theme is film editors from the Classic Studio Era. They include:

Anne Bauchens

Bauchens worked on 25 Cecil B. DeMille films and many others. They include Madame Satan (which will be shown on TCM), Beast of the City, the 1934 version of Cleopatra, Love Letters, and The Ten Commandments (the 1923 and 1956 versions).

Dede Allen

Allen has collaborated with directors Arthur Penn (six films) and Sidney Lumet (four films) plus countless others. Her films include Bonnie and Clyde (which will be shown on TCM), Dog Day Afternoon, The Hustler, and Reds.

Margaret Booth

Booth was a pioneer in film editing. She spent the majority of her film career at MGM, working her way up to supervising film editor, a position which she held for 30 years. Her films include the 1935 version of Mutiny on the Bounty (which will be shown on TCM), Camille, Gigi, and Ben-Hur.

Verna Fields

She won an Oscar for editing the film Jaws and worked on several films for Peter Bogdanovich including What’s Up Doc? (which will be shown on TCM) and Paper Moon.

Marcia Lucas

Lucas edited some the 1970s most iconic films including American Graffiti, Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (which will be shown on TCM), Taxi Driver, Star Wars, and The Return of the Jedi.

On October 23, TCM presents female editors in the Contemporary Era. They include:

Anne V. Coates

Coates, who received an Honorary Oscar in 2016, has an editing career spanning nearly six decades. Her films include The Elephant Man (which will be shown on TCM), Becket, Murder on the Orient Express, and Erin Brockovich.

Susan Morse

Morse edited Woody Allen’s films from 1977 to 1998. They include Annie Hall, Manhattan, and Hannah and Her Sisters (which will be shown on TCM).

Thelma Schoonmaker

The editor who enjoys an exclusive collaboration with Martin Scorsese beginning with Raging Bull in 1980. Her other films include Goodfellas, Casino (which will be shown on TCM-also a premiere),and Gangs of New York. Their next collaboration The Irishman will be released in 2018.

Carol Littleton

Littleton has been editing films since 1972. Her films include Body Heat, E.T., The Big Chill, Places in the Heart (which will be shown on TCM), and Wyatt Earp.

On October 30, TCM spotlights women producers including a few who managed to produce films in the Golden Age of Hollywood. This group includes:

June Mathis

Mathis is responsible for building the reputation of Rudolph Valentino with vehicles as The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (which will be shown on TCM) and Blood and Sand.

Kathleen Kennedy

One of the most powerful people in Hollywood (I’m serious-she replaced Chris Lord and Phil Miller with Ron Howard on the Han Solo movie apparently because of creative differences). She has an imprint on some of the highest-grossing films in box-office history. It all started with an Associate Producer credit on The Raiders of the Lost Ark and then her producing career began with E.T. then Back to the Future (which will be shown on TCM and a premiere), Jurassic Park, and the new Star Wars films.

Virginia Van Upp

Van Upp started her Hollywood career as a screenwriter with such films as Cover Girl. She had a brief producing career in the 1940s with her most remembered film being Gilda (which will be shown on TCM).

Julia Phillips

Julia Phillips spearheaded some of the most iconic films from the 1970s. She became the first female producer to win an Academy Award with 1973’s The Sting. Other films include Taxi Driver (which will be shown on TCM) and Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

Joan Harrison

One of Alfred Hitchcock’s protegees who contributed to his scripts and later worked her way to becoming a producer for several Universal films. Her films include Phantom Lady, They Won’t Believe Me (which will be shown on TCM), and Ride the Pink Horse.

Harriet Parsons

The daughter of gossip columnist Louella Parsons, Harriet enjoyed a successful career as a producer in the 1940s and the 1950s. Her films include The Enchanted Cottage, I Remember Mama (which will be shown on TCM), and Clash by Night.

The brunette beauty who could play a saint and a sinner has her SOTM debut with 17 films, including one TCM premiere, 1962’s Tender is the Night.

Mariah’s Picks

The Song of Bernadette (1943-September 5 @ 8pm/7pm central)

Jen won an Oscar in her debut film as “Jennifer Jones.” She made a few films under her real name, Phylis Isley. I might check this one out for reevaluation. You see, this movie was my second-grade teacher’s favorite film and she would show it every time we had a movie day.

Cluny Brown (1945-September 6 @ 1am/midnight central)

Jennifer shows her rarely seen comedic side as a girl who knows all about plumbing, but not much about men.

Duel in the Sun (1946-September 6 @ 3am/2am central)

Jen really goes against-type and so does Gregory Peck, he’s the bad guy!

Portrait of Jennie (1948-September 12 @ 8pm/7pm central)

Jennifer is a mysterious woman who inspires painter Joseph Cotten to paint his masterpiece.

TCM celebrates the legacy of the Motion Picture & Television Fund which has been in operation since 1942. It has housed anyone who has worked in the movie and TV industry where they live in comfortable retirement. Some of the MPTF’s residents will co-host with host Ben Mankiewicz, including the nearly 105-year-old Connie Sawyer, who may be the oldest living member of the Screen Actors Guild!

One of Audrey Hepburn’s most famous films. Sadly, she didn’t get to do her own singing.

In the Heat of the Night (1967-September 20 @ 8pm/7pm central)

One of three movies in Sidney Poitier’s biggest year in his career.

A Star is Born (1937-September 21 @ 2am/1am central)

If you miss this movie you can catch it on September 29 and compare it with the 1954 and the 1976 versions.

TCM Special Presentation: Counter-Culture (September 14, 21, and 28)

It’s been 50 years since the start of the Counterculture movement?! TCM has three nights of programming, to celebrate this milestone which is separated into three categories: Turn On (politics/sexual liberation); Tune In (music/concert films); Drop Out (drugs). Tune In and Drop Out each feature two TCM premieres including Bob Dylan: Don’t Look Back.

Treasures from the Disney Vaults (September 11)

Leonard Maltin returns to host this semi-annual series; this time with one short and six films, two of which are TCM premieres, 1960’s Kidnapped and 1968’s Blackbeard’s Ghost.

90th Anniversary of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre (September 18)

The iconic movie theater celebrates its 90th-anniversary with three films that have a special place in its history. The first film to play at the theater, the first MGM feature to be released with a pre-recorded soundtrack of music and sound effects, and the first Best-Picture winner to premiere at the theater.

They are (in order):

The King of Kings (1927)

White Shadows in the South Seas (1928)

The Broadway Melody (1929)

The Essentials (Saturdays)

Host Alec Baldwin continues presenting essential films with special guest William Friedkin for next four Saturday evenings in September. On September 30, special guest David Letterman takes over.

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Bullitt (1968)

The Band Wagon (1953)

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)

The Bad and the Beautiful (1952)

Noir Alley (Sunday mornings)

The film noir series returns with four new films. For anyone who missed Framed during Glenn Ford’s SUTS day, it airs September 3.

Framed (1947)

711 Ocean Drive (1950)

In a Lonely Place (1950)

Scandal Sheet (1952)

TCM Remembers Jerry Lewis (Labor Day evening)

TCM pays tribute to the legendary comedian who passed away on August 20. Fittingly, TCM will show his films on Labor Day, when he used to host his famous telethons.

The movies scheduled are:

The Nutty Professor (1963)

The King of Comedy (1983)

The Stooge (1952)

The Bellboy (1960)

The Disorderly Orderly (1964)

Directed by Werner Herzog (September 7)

The scary-looking, intense director has 4 films scheduled, all of which are TCM premieres.

The man with the golden voice, (seriously, listen starts at :17) is a first-timer to the SOTM club. TCM also will premiere three of Colman’s films all during the early hours of July 14. Premiering are 1935’s Clive of India (with Loretta Young), 1939’s The Light that Failed (with Ida Lupino), and 1935’s The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo (with Joan Bennett).

Mariah’s Picks

Lost Horizon (1937) July 13 at 8pm/7pm c-Colman leads an expedition to Shangri-La, a paradise hidden from the world. During the film’s first run, it was a box-office disappointment, now it is regarded as a classic, culminating in 2016 when the film was added to the National Film Registry.

A Tale of Two Cities (1935) July 20 at 8pm/7pm c-Colman wanted to play Sydney Carton so bad he shaved off his famous mustache.

The Prisoner of Zenda (1937) July 20 at 10:30 pm/9:30 pm c-Colman plays a dual role as a tourist and his distant relative, the king of an unnamed European country. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. steals the show as the villain Rupert of Hentzau.

A Double Life (1947) July 27 at 8pm/7pm c-Colman won the Best Actor Oscar on his fourth try. He plays a very Method actor who just got the starring role in Shakespeare’s Othello. All hell breaks loose.

Random Harvest (1942) July 27 at 10pm/9pm c-this is the story of a guy who gets amnesia, meets and falls in love with a showgirl, marries her and starts a family, gets conked on the head and remembers his previous life, but not his current life. This movie shouldn’t be that good with a convoluted plot like this, but somehow it really works.

The Talk of the Town (1942) July 28 at 12:15 am/July 27 at 11:15 pm c-Potential Supreme Court judge Colman battles fugitive Cary Grant for Jean Arthur’s heart. They shot two endings.

50 YEARS OF HITCHCOCK (WEDNESDAYS & FRIDAYS IN JULY)

The Master of Suspense’s work is the third collaboration between TCM, Ball State University, and Canvas Networks. Dr. Richard Edwards returns to guide film fans through this free and fun online course. Enroll today at 50 Years of Hitchcock.

Mariah’s Pick’s

The Lodger (1927) July 6 at 1:15 am/12:15 am c-the first true “Hitchcock movie.” A mysterious man takes a room at an inn. He may be a serial killer.

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934) July 7 at 9:30 pm/8:30 pm c-according to Hitchcock, this movie was the work of a talented ameteur and the 1956 remake was done by a professional.

The 39 Steps (1935) July 7 at 11pm/10pm c-the first time Hitchcock had a blonde as his leading lady.

The Lady Vanishes(1938) July 8 at 12:45 am/July 7 at 11:45 pm c-featuring one of the most kick-ass old ladies of all time.

Rebecca(1940) July 12 at 8pm/7pm c-Hitchcock’s American film debut. Still features a British cast.

Foreign Correspondent (1940) July 12 at 10:30 pm/9:30 pm c-Hitchcock’s first film with an American cast. I believe he wanted Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck. He got Joel McCrea and Laraine Day. I might have gotten this movie mixed up with Sabetour.

Shadow of a Doubt(1943) July 14 at 8pm/7pm c-Hitchcock consider this his favorite film. It was shot on location in Santa Rosa, CA.

Notorious (1946) July 15 at 2:15 am/1:15 am c-here old Hitch is able to make us feel sorry for a Nazi spy.

Strangers on a Train(1951) July 19 at 11:30 pm/10:30 pm c-the classic tale of two men who swap murders so the other won’t be implicated.

Rear Window(1954) July 21 at 8pm/7pm c-poor Jeff. He’s stuck in his walk-up apartment with a broken leg. Then he sees his neighbor murder his wife.

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) July 22 at 12:15 am/July 21 11:15 pm c-the big changes from the 1934 film is the girl is now a boy and the mother is now a singer instead of a skeet shooter.

Vertigo(1958) July 26 at 8pm/7pm c-this is the film that replaced Citizen Kane as the best film ever made, according to the Sight & Sounds critic’s poll.

North by Northwest(1959) July 26 at 10:30 pm/9:30 pm c-lets run around Mount Rushmore!

Psycho(1960) July 27 at 1am/midnight c-you know the music (starts at :10).

The Birds(1963) July 27 at 3am/2am c-I’ve just recommended the entire night. Oh well, here’s another Simpsons parody.

Note: I messed up June’s Essentials schedule. David Letterman ended his run with 1946’s The Big Sleep. Tina Fey started her run with 1954’s Rear Window, which you can catch on the WATCH TCM app and TCM ON DEMAND until tomorrow night. Now with the correct schedule.

The actress is 2017’s recipient of the American Film Institute’s (AFI) Lifetime Achievement Award. TCM will air the tribute which was held earlier this month and two of her films, 1981’s Reds and 1993’s Manhattan Murder Mystery.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s (June 12 at 8pm/7c)-her first film after giving birth to son Sean.

The Nun’s Story (June 13 at 1:30am/12:30c)

The Children’s Hour (June 13 at 4:15am/3:15c)

The Lavender Hill Mob (June 20 at 12:15am/11:15pm c)

Funny Face (June 26 at 10pm/9c)

TCM SPOTLIGHT: GAY HOLLYWOOD (THURSDAYS IN JUNE)

Mariah’s Picks

The Enchanted Cottage (available on WATCH TCM)-a beautiful love story which shows beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Rebel Without a Cause (June 15 at 8pm/7c)-Sal Mineo’s Plato was the true rebel of this picture.

Sincerely Yours (June 16 at 7:45/6:45c)-watch Liberace attempt to make it as a leading man.

Suddenly, Last Summer (June 22 at 12:45am/11:45pm c)-watch for the truly shocking ending.

TCM SPOTLIGHT EXTRA: EUROPEAN VACATIONS (FRIDAYS IN JUNE)

Twenty-one movies and eight shorts including a repeat of Roman Holiday!

GUEST PROGRAMMER: BILLY BOB THORTON (JUNE 7)

The Oscar-winner’s picks are 1955’s The Man with the Golden Arm, 1956’s Giant, and 1973’s Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid.

FATHER’S DAY (JUNE 18)

Includes 1950’s Father of the Bride and its sequel.

THE ESSENTIALS (SATURDAYS IN JUNE)

David Letterman wraps up his Essentials stint with 1945’s Brief Encounter on June 3 and 1945’s The Lost Weekend on June 10. Tina Fey starts her run on June 17 with 1946’s The Big Sleep and 1941’s The Lady Eve on June 24.